Charoigne Weyr
by Autunm Lilac
Summary: Leucothea's Reign is just beginning. Chapter one Up.
1. Chapter 0

Charoigne Weyr: Effortless Denial: Prologue

"_It was her. I know it was. I _saw _her do it." _

"_Really? Why aren't you the one who's dead, then?" _

"_Well, I didn't see her actually _do _it, but I did see her around that area." _

"_Poor child. The Weyrwoman's in total denial over what happened." _

"_Are you sure it was her?" _

"_She's rather hard to miss, you know." _

"_Yeah. You're right. If her hair and eyes weren't enough, you'd know she was around the corner by the lack of heat." _

"_I don't like her. Not one bit." _

"_No one does. But what can we do? She was the one that impressed that horrific beast of a gold. Did you see what it did?" _

"_What? You mean it did more than the damage on the sands?" _

"_Yeah. I guess you didn't hear. It went into a rampage and killed a good group of wherries and heardbeasts at the hold." _

"_What was that woman and her mutation doing at Fort Hold?" _

"_I don't know, but nothing good. They say that the thing killed several men who tried to calm it down, but as soon as The Horror Keeper appeared, Perinaesth calmed down at once. Isn't that creepy?" _

"_Well, any rider can control its dragon, you two should know that. You're both seasoned riders yourselves." _

"_Yeah, but the few who were with them said that it was almost unnatural. Even their dragons, who had picked up on Perinaesth's rage and were starting to act out themselves calmed down when she came."_

"_Maybe she's a HAD?" _

"_No, I know for a fact she isn't. I don't know what she is, but I don't like her." _

"_You already told us that." _

"_So where is she now?" _

"_Cooped up in her weyr, last I heard. They say Perinaesth's close to rising, so they can't leave." _

"_So we're the ones stuck with her until this entire mess is sorted out?" _

"_Yeah, pretty much." _

"_Better watch your Iyhijomlith, D'tal. He might be one of the ones that goes after Perinaesth when she rises." _

"_By the first egg, you actually think I'm going to let him chase? That thing isn't fit to be a gold dragon, and it certainly isn't fit for Iyhijomlith." _

"_Touchy." _

"_Geez, calm down, D'tal. We know you wouldn't let Iyhijomlith chase Perinaesth even if the two were the last dragons on Pern." _

"_Faranth, let's hope that never happens." _

"_Oh, easy for you to say, Yu'mell. And you too, M'achi. You two ride a green and a brown. Not exactly the dragons that are in the correct size range for Perinaesth." _

"_Calm down, D'tal. We know. Besides, last I checked, Yu'mell's Fujnmilepth was close to rising again. A female isn't exactly about to chase a female, right Yu'mell?" _

"_Faranth, I hope not. But isn't Quipth large enough to chase Perinaesth, M'achi?" _

"_No, not really. That creature may be a gold, but she isn't exactly a very large one, is she?" _

"_Well, wouldn't that make it easier?" _

"_Quipth isn't the largest brown." _

"_Right. I forgot, you got the midget brown, didn't you, M'achi?" _

"_Shut up, Yu'mell." _

"_Shut up, the pair of you. Someone's coming." _

* * *

So someone suspected her. That was alright, as she knew that they would. It was simple really; a simple plan. Of course she had killed that disgusting brat. Perhaps he would have lived if he had stopped screaming for his mother.

A cold smile, frigid like ice or the frozen depths of space, spread across the woman's pale face, deathly pale skin stretching slightly to allow this unfamiliar muscle movement to take place.

Icy blue eyes sparkled with malicious intent as Leucothea, Rider of gold Perinaesth, turned and walked away from the whispering group of men. Long white-blond hair dancing behind her in a shimmering dance of frigid beauty as she moved, Leucothea considered her next move. The options before her were limited, but she could work with them.

At least one of the things that the men had said was true; Perinaesth was close to rising. Closer than any of the others realized, perhaps. This was the problem which might be the solution to everything. If only things could be planned correctly. Plans were always needed. Needed more than people. People were puppets to be controlled by plans. Nothing more and nothing less.

The smirk back on her face, hidden by a delicately boned long fingered hand, Leucothea proceeded to the Weyrbowl, thoughts clicking away in her brain like clogs in a clock, each one shining and glittering, each tooth slipping neatly into place as the entire machine worked, ticking down the time until she would be victorious.

Entering the Weyrbowl, Leucothea's eyes flicked upward to where a blue dragon was sleeping on a ledge, his wings flopped over the side in complete relaxation. At the sight of the blue, his coloration making him blend into the sky almost completely, Leucothea's smirk turned to more of a smile, and while it was not a natural one, it at least looked more settled on her face than the smile that had crossed her lips down in the lower caverns.

Deciding that it was best to allow the dragon who had worked so hard for her to sleep just a few minutes longer, Leucothea turned and made her way by foot to her own private weyr, situated only a few levels up from the base of the Weyrbowl. But, despite the placement of her quarters, Leucothea had assured complete privacy some time ago. There were pleasantries to being nicknamed The Horror Keeper.

The air inside the rooms was glacial in nature, so cold that even in summer your breath could be seen as a great cloud of vapor, rising through the air after hovering for some time and disappearing as it went. The darkness, as well, was stifling. An oppressive feel lurked in this weyr, snatching at dreams and snuffing out hope without a thought or emotion.

The stone couch that occupied more than a half of the second was full of glittering dragon, the faceted eyes of the gold the only light in the entire weyr. When Leucothea entered, the gigantic gold head lifted from its rest, sagging skin scrapping across the rough stone as Perinaesth turned to stare at her rider, the gravely hum which was Perinaesth's voice emanating through out the rooms.

_You have come back._

The voice was harsh, dissonant, painful to listen too, but upon hearing the dragon's words inside her head, The Horror Keeper's smile returned once more. This time, however, the smile was one of cunning delight.

"Yes, My Dear. I have returned. Did you except me to leave you? Perhaps for another beast? Someone less glorious and powerful?"

_No. I did not think that you would leave. I was just stating that you have come back sooner than I expected you._

"Yes, humans are such simple things. Prod them in the correct direction and they can take it from there. Never suspecting that the _ipeople/i_ they whisper about are the ones who planted the rumors and gossip in the first place."

_But are you not human as well, LeucotheaMine?_

"I wonder, Peri. If I was, would you have smashed your way across the sands, devouring your siblings as you went, to find me?"

_I do not know, LeucotheaMine. I cannot say._

"It is fine. Peri. It is fine. I do have a job for you, however."

_Yes, Leucothea mine? What do you desire?_

"Rise, my dear. Simply rise. Rise and be chased. Chase and be caught..."

It was here that Leucothea's voice dwindled to nothing, and the pair began to talk mentally, Rider facing Dragon, the distance between them small.

_It shall be done. You have my word._

"Very well."

And with these few words, Leucothea turned to walk back across the cold stone floor, hair dancing behind her, still as beautiful as ever.


	2. Chapter 1

Charoigne Weyr: Time and Time again: Chapter One

He was in pain. That's all he could tell. But it wasn't the sharp, intense pain one would associate with a knife wound or perhaps bad food. This pain was dull, throbbing, and aching. It hurt to move. As his consciousness began to spread, each dulled neuron fizzling slowly into life, D'tal realized that the pain was caused by cold. The bone chilling, skin searing cold that was uncommon to find, even in High Reaches Weyr.

Groaning, D'tal attempted to roll over, only to be stopped by the skins that he had pulled around him during his restless night. After a while, D'tal finally managed to extract himself from the cocoon of skins and throws. When all of the protective covering had been thrown off, D'tal realized two things. The first was that he had been an idiot for removing the skins, for what little protection they had offered from the cold had still been protection. Without them, he could feel his teeth begin to chatter and his skin already had an unnerving blue tinge to it.

The second thing, although normally much more important than anything else, was taking a back seat to the frozen aspect of everything, was that D'tal was completely devoid of clothing. With this realization came the crashing down of his mental blocks, and the memories of what had happened flooded into his mind.

_D'tal! What're you doing here! I thought you said you'd be leaving! What about Iyhijomlith? You told us you weren't going to let him chase! D'tal! __**D'tal!**_

Letting a low moan escape his lips, D'tal pulled his knees up to his chest, attempting to warm himself and hide from the horrific thoughts and feelings which were only now assailing him.

_**The flight, the feeling of power under IyhijomlithD'tal's wings, the sense of triumph in the end. The falling through the air, wings outstretched to break the twin dragons' fall. But on D'tal's end of IyhijomlithD'tal, there had been no pleasure, no sense of victory. Later the pleasure had come, although he now realized that it had not been his new weyrmate who had given him the satisfaction. **_

"The…. Drudge?"

Even to himself his voice sounded harsh, gravely, unlike his normal smooth tones. Grimacing, D'tal rubbed at his throat, realizing that the cold had dried out his mouth. He was going to need a serious mug of hard klah to make himself feel any better. Possibly he could forget about what had happened too. Wouldn't that be nice?

"She left a while ago. I have to say, you are quite the performer, D'tal."

Blanching pure white, D'tal spun around on the bed, the force of his movement sending him toppling sideways onto the ground, his long legs still resting on the bed. From this awkward position, the bronze rider stared at Leucothea, his brown eyes large in horror. D'tal hadn't realized that there was still anyone in the room, let alone Leucothea.

Dragging his legs from the lumpy bed, D'tal allowed himself a brief rest on the frozen stone floor, before he hauled himself to his feet. Reaching down, still shaking from the cold, D'tal sorted through the few garments on the floor, finding his clothing with ease.

Dressing quickly, D'tal looked over to where Iyhijomlith lay, the rich bronze color of his hide clashing with the sickly color of Perinaesth's hide. Shivering again, although this time with disgust at what had happened, D'tal turned away from his dragon, the sight of him cuddling with the Rotting Gold more than a little nauseating to his empty stomach.

After hesitating for quite some time, D'tal made his way over to stand behind Leucothea, although he did not get close enough to touch her. That thought was worse than Iyhijomlith cuddling with that creature... Besides, his fingers might freeze solid.

As the silence stretched between them, D'tal began to fidget, shifting his weight back and forth, nervous as to what was going to happen next.

Today seemed to be the day of revelations and realizations for D'tal. As he moved apprehensively back and forth, the height difference between him, as a five foot eleven individual, and Leucothea became apparent. The woman was _tiny_, her head barely came up to his chest.

Staring down at the top of her white-blond head, D'tal almost felt sorry for her… Almost.

The two of them stood there for quite some time, D'tal casting worried glances around the dark weyr. There was no hint of anyone actually occupying the weyr at any point. No colorful tapestries on the walls, no skin throws underfoot to save the bare feet from the biting cold flood, and the bed was hard and musty, as though it had never once been aired out. Screwing up his face in thought, D'tal looked down again at Leucothea, his mouth open to ask a question.

Before the words could even form in his mind, however, there was a clatter of dishes, and breakfast for one appeared.

Leucothea's reflexes were faster than D'tal's; Moving quickly across the floor, her boot-less feet sliding across the polished stone with eerie grace, Leucothea picked up the tray and turned around, eyes following D'tal's sluggish movements with something approaching mirthless humor.

"Hungry, D'tal? I ordered breakfast for you."

"How… kind." D'tal choked, eyeing the platter she held with some uncertainty. He'd heard rumors about Leucothea. How she had poisoned her entire cothold. How no one but herself and her older brother, K'lee, had survived. How, even now, no one could pin the crime to her. After all, the deaths appeared to be natural… except for the fact that even babies had died without any apparent cause. That was, perhaps, the most disturbing part. That this woman, who stood before him holding food that was meant for him, was capable of killing children without feeling. But... who could prove it?

Gingerly D'tal took the tray, eyeing Leucothea's perverted smile with unease. It wasn't simple to be calm or relaxed around Leucothea, especially when she was handling your food. Taking his eyes off of Leucothea for just a moment, D'tal looked down at what he had to eat. There wasn't much there, but what the tray did have was Klah.

Moving swiftly away from Leucothea, D'tal located the only table in the weyr and dropped the tray onto it, scooping up the Klah as he did so.

The Klah tasted alright, right up to the point where D'tal's vision began to go fuzzy around the edges, then turn black. Dropping the mug on Klah onto the floor, D'tal turned slightly, wavering back and forth.

The last thing he saw before the darkness curled around him was Leucothea's devilish smile and her waving hand.

"Night night"

* * *

When D'tal had collapsed to the floor, Iyhijomlith had turned, eyes a brilliant red. Before the roar of panic and anger could escape the bronze's mind, he was quieted by Leucothea's stare.

"Peri, please tell our guest that his bonded is not dead, or even in pain. He's simply asleep. He'll way up in several candlemarks, perfectly alright, although craving more of the drug. Sadly, that's the aftereffects... " Shrugging, Leucothea turned around, her voice not changing as she called to someone standing outside the weyr.

"Kilee Dear! I need you!"

The sound of frantically pounding feet filled the oppressive space, and a young man, his long blond hair falling into his face, practically fell into the weyr. Deep gray eyes scanning the room as he picked himself off the ground, his face pale and strained.

"Y-y-yes, Leu? I'm here. I didn't... delay."

Her sickly smile still in place, Leucothea slid softly across the floor, bending down before K'lee and using the tips of her long fingers to lift his chin. Although she was controlling his head, she couldn't control his eyes, and K'lee avoided Leucothea's gaze, flinching as she spoke.

"Yes, you are a good boy. Now, I need you to put the thing," Leucothea gestured to D'tal's fallen and sleeping body, "On the bed, and then clean up the mess." Standing up, Leucothea swept past K'lee, moving out of the weyr and into the hallway. "Oh, and Kilee, don't directly touch any of that food." Giggling, the sound close to that of breaking glass and death chimes, Leucothea glided out of sight, the sound filling the weyr with the bone-chilling sound long after the physical being of Leucothea was gone.

Left by himself, K'lee got shakily to his feet, beginning the tasks his sister had set for him. He hauled D'tal off the floor, placing him messily on the bed before cleaning for floor. Once these things had been done, K'lee went and leaned against the bed, sinking to the floor and hugging his knees to his chest as he waited for Leucothea to return and allow him to leave. Around him, the darkness pressed in.


End file.
